Steph Mock, Assistant AD for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh is on this week's episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast. Steph traced her journey from high school sports to a collegiate volleyball career at West Virginia University. She later transitioned into strength conditioning, working at Clemson University and Mississippi State University, before returning to her alma mater. Her mentors, especially Rick Franzblau, played a crucial role in her professional development.
The discussion turns to the experience of being a woman in the predominantly male field of strength and conditioning. Steph highlights the importance of viewing the role as one of leadership, emphasizing skills such as relationship building and managing complex situations, which are gender-neutral. She acknowledges the influence of female leaders within the University of Pittsburgh, including the Chancellor and the Athletic Director, in her career development. This segment underscores the evolution in the field, where gender is becoming less of a defining factor in defining one's leadership and professional capabilities.
A significant portion of the podcast is devoted to the topic of microdosing in training, particularly its application in collegiate sports. Steph delves into her first exposure to the concept at a conference in 2018 and how it influenced her approach to training the volleyball team at the University of Pittsburgh. She explains how microdosing, or splitting training sessions into shorter, more frequent sessions, is particularly effective for in-season training. This approach helps to navigate the constraints of athletes’ schedules, including practices, competitions, and academic commitments. She emphasizes that this methodology allows for more focused, specific stimulus in training sessions, aiding in better preparation and recovery for athletes. The adoption of microdosing was already in place at the University of Pittsburgh, thanks to the head volleyball coach, making it easier for Steph to implement and enhance the practice.
If you're looking to introduce micro dosing into your programming, check out this episode with Steph.
Main talking points:
Using military pre season camps for the right reasons. Answering the critics with Simon Thomas
#Bitesize - How to implement eccentric focused training with your athletes with Angus Ross
Understanding and implementing isometric testing and training with athletes with Paul Comfort
#Bitesize - Developing players through the pathway in an elite football academy with Matt Allen
Agility training: Creating drills that transfer to on-field performance with Warren Young
#Bitesize - Microdosing; how it differs to other methods of periodisation with Derek Hansen
Preventing and rehabilitating hip and groin injuries in athletes with James Moore
#Bitesize - Why change of direction and agility testing doesn’t provide valuable information with Ian Jeffreys
Developing the ”how” as well as the ”what” of coaching, self reflection and expanding deep knowledge with Jonas Dodoo and Jamie Taylor
#Bitesize - The beliefs and practices of the Arsenal Academy performance department with Paudie Roche
Change of direction ability; testing, developing physical qualities and maximising on-field transfer with Tom Dos’Santos and Alistair McBurnie
#Bitesize - Why is the Nordic hamstring exercise so controversial with Kristian Thorborg
The deceleration vaccine, and understanding and improving deceleration ability with Tom Dos’Santos and Alistair McBurnie
#Bitesize - What is the anaerobic speed reserve and how can we use it with Gareth Sandford
The future of sports science and the sports scientist in professional sport with Jose Fernandez (Mahd Academy)
#Bitesize - The power of social media in getting (or not getting) a job in elite sport with Dave Slemen
Understanding and evaluating the return on investment from any sports technology with Sam Robertson (Professor at Victoria University)
#Bitesize - Using fixed resistance machines in-season with Cory Schlesinger
Agility training, problems with change of direction testing & game speed with Ian Jeffreys (Coach Educator & Academic Director, Setanta College)
#Bitesize - Understanding the menstrual cycle to optimise performance with Georgie Bruinvels
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Coach Carvalho Podcast
From Corner2Corner
Golf Podcast: next on the tee
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
The MeatEater Podcast